New research is transforming our understanding of the cerebellum (the “little brain”), revealing that its role extends far beyond physical balance and coordination. Functional imaging now shows that the cerebellum is a critical coordinator of your emotions, thoughts, immune function, digestion, and even DNA replication.
This profound discovery highlights that clearer communication between the cerebellum and other brain areas is essential for overall health and wellness. The post points to the power of Neuro Emotional Technique (NET), a methodology that studies have shown can improve functional connectivity in the brain. By positively changing the function of the brain’s emotional center (the amygdala), NET can increase activity in the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for control and gating—allowing for new neural pathways and creating positive, literally cellular, changes in the body’s response to the world.
This neurophysiological shift offers a powerful way to address chronic conditions and the emotional component of disease by changing how the brain perceives and responds to stress.
Time-stamped Highlights
- 0:21 The cerebellum’s expanded role: it doesn’t just coordinate the body, but also emotions, thoughts, immune function, digestion, and the endocrine system.
- 0:43 Clinical observation from concussion/TBI work: improving physical balance (e.g., one-legged stand) led to a direct improvement in depression, anxiety, and stress symptom scores.
- 0:52 The cerebellum’s role in genetics: it coordinates how we replicate and create DNA changes and affects genetic balance and protein creation.
- 1:30 The significance of NET (Neuro Emotional Technique) is its discovery that it can improve functional connectivity in the brain.
- 2:04 How emotional stress works: amygdala hijacking decreases prefrontal cortex activity, causing other functions to “run haywire.”
- 2:41 The cellular change from NET: by shifting amygdala function and restoring prefrontal cortex blood flow, the brain creates new pathways, leading to changes in the early immediate gene response and the cellular level.
- 2:58 New research findings (2025 paper): NET is associated with widespread improvements in functional connectivity in brain areas supporting pain, motor function, and emotional processing.
